


Golden

by corgibuttz



Category: Dan Avidan - Fandom, Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party (Band), Skyhill (Band), The Northern Hues (Band)
Genre: F/M, Porn With Plot, Seriously this is basically just porn, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-10 22:31:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11701191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corgibuttz/pseuds/corgibuttz
Summary: A chance meeting brings two traveling strangers together as they contemplate and challenge their preconceived notions of love, the small pleasures of life, and the daunting pressures of reality as their days are literally numbered.





	1. Sharing

**Author's Note:**

> I'm horribly embarrassed for indulging in this work. It has been years since I've written any fanfics, and possibly longer since I've written anything hedging on romance. But I happened to be feeling inspired, so I figured I'd share. Not meant to be true to life, or particularly accurate. The first chapter or two will be a bit tame, but should heat up quickly, hence the rating. I have a lot pre-written so I'll try to post again soon. 
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings. I hope you enjoy!

Addie dreamed of romance with great longing: an exquisite love to rival every leather-bound tome to pass through the annals of literary history. Of course, she set herself up for inevitable disappointment. Such a thing could not possibly exist beyond thin pages of worn text, so why bother at all? She kept this hidden, embarrassed of her prerequisite. Quite assured this dream would never actualize, she opted to forgo entanglement completely on an emotional level. She came and went physically as she saw fit, but cared not to draw her sexual endeavors into any more elaborate a picture than satisfied her base needs. Void of distractions, she kept her mind sharp and her body nimble. How else could she expect to indulge a truly great lover if she allowed herself to become droll? That's what she convinced herself of, at least. 

She wanted a love great enough that the longing could drive her mad. She wanted to feel such deep and exquisite love that every ounce of her being would crush with desire - a love that felt like sinking, like being caught in a tumultuous storm on open seas, a love that filled her with trepidation and felt like breaking more and more with each passing day. 

Of course, no man made her feel happiness worthy of such wanton self-destruction. And so she strayed. She welcomed a job which required constant travel, feeling bound to no man in no city. She was comfortable alone, though few believed her. 

\--

It was a Friday evening and she found herself at a small bar in Seattle. It was karaoke night, and while she did not herself choose to partake, she enjoyed spectating from the crowded bar as she sipped an agrodolce. A faint smile graced her lips as she watched a tall, lean man with a mop of curly brown hair begin to belt out the lyrics to "Your Love" by the Outfield - an old favorite. 

She lingered a while longer, but chose to catch a cab to her hotel around eleven, as the talent had disintegrated with time and liquor. As she flagged down a taxi and offered her hotel address to the cabby, a voice suddenly jolted, "Oh shit, I'm staying there too! Do you want to split a ride?"

She turned and saw the same man from karaoke towering over her, with a friendly smile that instantly put her at ease. Any other time she would have been suspicious and alert, but she felt no threat from this stranger or his sudden request. 

"Sure," she agreed, decidedly welcoming the company. She slid across the back seat, making room for the tall stranger. 

"Thanks, you're awesome!" He exclaimed appreciatively. "I'm Dan, by the way, and I promise I won't kill you."

"That's exactly the sort of thing someone who's going to kill me might say," she quipped before breaking into a grin. Dan shrugged. "Addie," she extended her hand in greeting. His hand was large and soft as it gently enveloped hers. She might have blushed, but it was too dark to tell. "You were great tonight. At karaoke, I mean." She welcomed conversation after a somewhat solitary evening. 

"Thanks, I've been practicing."

"It shows."

They continued chatting until they reached the hotel. When the car came to a halt, Dan handed cash to the driver and went to exit the bright yellow vehicle. Addie followed, scowling slightly. "What happened to splitting the fare?" She chided, uncomfortable with the action.

"Don't worry about it. I bummed your ride anyway, remember?" He shrugged it off.

"You could at least let me buy you a drink," she offered, gesturing to the hotel bar as they approached the automatic doors of the lobby.

"Addie, are you trying to pick me up?" Dan deadpanned. 

Her cheeks flushed scarlet. "You hopped in  _my cab_ , remember?" And he laughed, accepting her offer for want of more conversation. They sat at the tidy, dimly lit bar, discussing music. Discussing life. 

She felt comfortable with this stranger, and opened up to him in the way one sometimes unabashedly does with the knowledge that they are unlikely to cross paths ever again. They talked about love, about romance, about the unsettling reality that they had been misled by all the novels and films and love songs. That nothing could ever emulate that beauty - and how he begged to differ. How losing hope in love was like losing hope in life. 

And she suddenly felt so infinitesimally small. And as if he could read her mind, he pulled her into a warm embrace and something unspoken passed between them. She shuddered and he pulled away. 

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so forward. You just looked so..."

 _Sad, resigned, shattered?_ She thought. 

"Hopeful," he finished.

Addie felt her heart catch like a lump in her throat and suddenly she was speechless. 

Shortly after midnight they reluctantly agreed that they should head back to their rooms. They slowly meandered across the white marbled lobby floor to the elevator. He chose ten. She chose twelve. Tension filled the silver box as it climbed the building floor by floor. She wasn't ready to part ways, fearing that as soon as he exited, she would lose something invaluable. She had never felt this way before. 

As they rose from eight to nine, he broke into apology once more. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier. That was stupid of me." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck and offered a halfhearted smile.

The elevator dinged for his floor and he made to say goodnight, but before he could do so, Addie stuttered, "Dan, I-is there any chance you could stay with me tonight?"

His eyes widened and focused on her more clearly, surprised by the request. He smiled warmly and took her hand, staying by her side as the elevator door closed. She could feel the heat rush to her cheeks and she shyly avoided his gaze. 

"I'm sorry if that was too forward of me," she joked softly, eyes pasted to the scuffed floor. He chuckled and she relaxed. "I just don't want to be alone right now, " she admitted. It was half true. She would be content on her own if he were any other man, if she had never met him, if they had never shared that cab. But suddenly she had felt a kinship that made her question all of her preconceived notions of romance in a single evening. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze in response. Soon they reached the twelfth floor and approached her room. Reluctantly she released Dan's hand to pull the key card from her purse. 

 

 

 

 


	2. For a Limited Time

Addie's hotel room was just shy of sterile, the only signs of life being her work laptop and papers spread across the desk, a change of clothes laid out thoughtfully across her suitcase, and a few toiletries neatly arranged on the bathroom counter. The king size bed was made immaculately with crisp white sheets and far too many pillows. Generic abstract art hung on the wall on either side of the bed, and a large mirror hung over the desk near the window. Every attempt to make the room more hospitable left it feeling bland and lifeless - the kind of place where loneliness makes itself at home. 

"Oh wow, I feel like I've been here before. No wait, I'm thinking of my room," Dan joked, trying to ease the tension. They stood there a moment, just inside the doorway, not knowing how to proceed. Addie set her purse on the desk and draped her jacket over the back of the desk chair. They both removed their shoes by the dresser. 

"I didn't really think this through..." she admitted. "Would it be okay with you if we just talked a while?" She hoped he did not feel misled. 

"I'd like that," he reassured her. "To be clear, I don't have any expectations. I'm happy just, like, keeping you company if that's all you want."

"I really appreciate it," she replied, once again feeling at ease. She sifted through her suitcase for pajamas and went to the bathroom to change.  With the door shut behind her, she eyed herself in the mirror. She washed the makeup from her face and pulled her wavy auburn hair into a loose bun. She pulled on a black Generation Records t-shirt and cotton shorts. 

 _What do you want?_ She thought to herself. She had never been this unsure. Was this a one-night stand? She had taken that route before and it never bothered her, but she had never felt inclined to pursue beyond that. She found herself conflicted, as she had never met a man who made her want more until now. This feeling was new and she feared that if she moved too quickly, she would lead him to believe her motives were merely base.  _But what if he isn't interested in more than that?_ She worried. Any other time she would be indifferent, if not relieved, but now the thought made her morose and confused. 

After decidedly taking too long in the bathroom, she accepted it was time to face Dan. She set her pile of day clothes atop her luggage and spotted him reclined on the far side of the bed, legs crossed. His fingers laced in a tent over his stomach. He had hung his white jacket over top hers on the chair, and now wore simply a faded Rush t-shirt and ripped jeans. She shyly approached the bed and laid down beside him. 

They talked about music and movies, concerts and passions and memories - skirting around the reasons why they found themselves laying side by side in her hotel room bed, until the hour was obscene and they were too tired to fight off sleep. They flicked off the bedside lights. Addie pulled the covers over her body. Dan stood and removed his jeans, crawling under the covers beside her. 

She hesitated a moment, and turned towards him. She slid closer to him and nestled into his torso. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she rested her head upon his chest. She gazed up at him in the dark, catching faint reflections on his eyes as they were cast down to meet hers. "Thank you for staying with me," she smiled sleepily. 

"Anytime," he smiled and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks and his heartbeat quicken as she drifted off to sleep. 

\--

Three days. That was all Dan could think of as Addie dozed in his arms. That was all the time he had left in Seattle before her returned to Glendale, before he had to part ways with this stranger he felt he had known his whole life, like a piece of a puzzle lost for years only to reappear unexpectedly and out of context. He didn't know what to anticipate. He felt something for her, this romantic who had claimed defeat without ever really trying. At first he thought he was pushing his luck, but then again she surprised him by inviting him into her bed. He was relieved to find she had not simply wanted a one-night stand. While he would have been content to oblige, he had hoped for something more substantial. But then again, how much substance could he cram into a mere three days with this woman? As Addie dozed, he crafted a plan. She had never been in love and had never experienced romance first hand. He wanted to share that with her before they parted ways. He fell asleep to the sound of raindrops pattering against the window. 

\--

When morning arrived, Addie was the first to stir. She stretched and felt Dan unconsciously pull her closer. She fought back a grin at this and watched him quietly as he slept. His curly hair was a wild mess, and a layer of stubble graced his jawline. She found him casually handsome. In the cold morning light, she dared to peck his cheek and curl closer into his body. Her smooth legs brushed against his, and she cautiously intertwined them in a way that felt both innocent and sexual - at once endearing and almost perverse as they were little more than acquaintances. 

Dan stirred at her touch and without thought he leaned in to place a small, simple kiss upon her lips. It was natural and innocent and familiar. This kiss was not laced with passion or desire or expectation. It was the kind of kiss one would greet an old lover with on any given morning: easy and nurturing.

Addie was not taken aback. She was not stunned. She did not feel a flutter of anticipation stir in her belly. She felt at home.

She nestled her nose into the crook of Dan's neck and wondered what it would be like to wake up with him every morning. What would it be like in his bed, in his room? She wondered what would adorn the walls, how the light would filter through the windows, and how it would smell. Would it be neat and organized, or would the floor be littered with worn clothing and odds and ends?

They lay there, comfortable, not speaking, coming to terms with the reality that they had only three days- not nearly enough. 

"Do you have any plans today?" Dan asked, his voice groggy from sleep. 

She shook her head, "no."

"I want to spend the day with you. Is that okay?"

She smiled broadly and sat up a bit, propped on her elbows. "I'd like that." He returned her grin. 

"Great, because I'd like to take you out for breakfast."

She leaned in to give him another chaste peck and he held her to him. Running his hands through her messy auburn hair, he deepened the kiss. His stubble scratched against her chin, raw and sensual as their lips intertwined. He shifted onto his side and softly trailed the curve of her body. She stretched a hand to trace his jawline, cupping his cheek lightly as their mouths found their own rhythm. 

Addie's face was flushed as she pulled back for air. Their eyes locked in a tender gaze. She could have stayed there all day. But Dan placed a soft kiss on her forehead and stood, stretching. He bent to grab his jeans, and while he dressed suggested that he head to his room for a shower, and they meet in the lobby in forty-five minutes. 

She scooted to the end of the bed where Dan was slipping on his shoes and nodded in agreement. She agreed with hesitance. She was worried that somehow this was his exit and she may never see him again. She knew this was ridiculous and suppressed the feeling of accompanying dread. She was also hesitant to cease contact. She wanted to stay there with him in bed and see where it would lead. But she had agreed, silently, and he gave her one last kiss before he left the room. 

She rushed to get ready as soon as he was out the door. She showered quickly, dried her hair, brushed her teeth, and applied a sparse layer of makeup. She wore dark denim skinny jeans, an old Modern English t-shirt, an olive green jacket with the sleeves folded up to the elbow, and a pair of plain black suede flats. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun, with wispy tendrils falling around her face. 

While Addie readied herself, Dan traveled down to his room. He didn't want to leave, but knew that if he stayed any longer, the thought of breakfast would fly straight out the window. He wanted to make sure she knew he wanted more than that. He sat on the edge of his bed, fumbling with his phone, cancelling plans and making new ones. He ran through the shower and fussed with his hair, which refused to be tamed. He finished his routine quickly and wished he had packed something nicer. He settled on a plain red heathered t-shirt, his least ripped jeans, sneakers, and his white jacket with black detailing. 

They crossed paths in the elevator as it descended to the lobby. "Fancy meeting you here," Addie quipped, but Dan's self control faltered and his lips crashed down upon hers with a sudden passion that made her weak in the knees. She returned his kiss with fervent intensity, backing herself against the stainless steel wall as he closed the gap, only to step back reluctantly as the elevator dinged, halting to collect more guests. 

Addie bit her bottom lip and stared slyly at Dan, who grinned in response. He slipped his hand into hers and soon led her out of the elevator, across the lobby to the street. A faint mist hung in the air, with the ever-present threat of rain imminent. They made their way to a small red sedan in the hotel garage and he opened the passenger door for her. The car was clearly a rental, stock GPS built into the dashboard, void of both frills and character. Dan came around to take the driver's seat and carefully backed out of the parking spot and exited the garage. He pulled around the block, clearly aware of where he was heading. 

"Do you come to Seattle often? You seem to know your way around pretty well."

"I have some old friends here that I visit sometimes, so I've gotten used to it." He spoke about work, about how busy it was, and how he seldom had opportunities to take a break. Addie empathized, familiar with the long hours and constant travel. When she wasn't making site visits, she was entertaining clients. She would stay long enough to implement a particular stage of process optimizations before she left for the next client, and the next, and so on. She had her familiar rounds and would cycle through about once a month. In between it was business class, bleak hotel rooms, and forced socialization. She rarely made it home for more than two or three days at a time. Dan was somewhat more vague about his work. While he was proud of his accomplishments, he didn't want it to influence her feelings so soon. He wanted to get to know her before she could google him, before she could make assumptions. 

A few miles away, Dan parked in front of a small retro diner. It wasn't much to look at, but one glance showed a steady thrum of business. They fed the meter and stepped inside. Tables were cleared and soon they were seated. 

"So I've been coming here for years and it's one of my all time favorite places for breakfast. They make these amazing homemade sticky buns, and then make french toast out of them."

"Breakception!"

"For sure," he chuckled. And like that, breakfast was decided. They chatted over tea, their conversations never seeming to run dry. But there was always something on their minds that went unsaid. The thought that maybe this was the real thing. They devoured their breakfast, which was as delicious as Dan had made it out to be. Soon the server arrived with the check and they both lurched for it, but Dan was a hair quicker. 

"Please, can we at least split it?" Addie begged. She did not like other people paying her way. 

"No can do. I refuse to let a lady pay on a date." Addie was caught off guard. 

"Is this a date?" she smiled coyly. 

Dan shrugged. "Well, I mean, I'd like it to be..." He had a sparkle of hope in his eyes. 

"I've never been on a date before," Addie reflected softly. 

"Shut the fuck up," Dan remarked in disbelief. "Damn, I'm setting the bar low. How have you never been on a date before?!"

"It's not like I never had offers. I just never wanted to. Nobody ever really stood out to me. So I've never been on a date, and I've never had a boyfriend," Addie explained matter-of-factly, as if it was totally normal for a woman nearing thirty. 

"Is the bar set that high, or have you only ever met mediocre men?"

"I don't know, maybe a bit of both? But I met you, and I'm really enjoying my first date," she beamed. A wide grin spread across Dan's face. He sneaked cash onto the table while Addie was distracted. He stood, grabbing her hand, and guiding her out of the diner and back to the car. 

 


	3. Never Have I Ever

As Dan fired up the engine and headed off to their next destination he asked, "So, what else have you never done before?"

"Loads, I'm sure," Addie pondered. "Well, I've never been skydiving or bungee jumping or anything like that. I've never been on a boat before...And I've never had a pet. Not even a goldfish."

"Really? Why not?"

"I don't know. I love animals, but growing up, my parents always had excuses for why we couldn't have pets. And then when I was out on my own I never felt like I led the kind of lifestyle to take care of another living creature. I'm gone so often for work, I don't even keep real plants." 

Dan nodded along, making mental notes. He spotted the small sign for their next stop and searched for a parking spot. 

"What do you have up your sleeve, anyway?" Addie prodded. 

"You'll see," Dan grinned and led her around the block. His hand joined hers once again. He felt nervous and clammy, suddenly. It had been quite a while since he had been on a date, and he was still trying to work out why such a cute girl could have gone her entire life without a date or relationship, and somehow think that he of all people was worth changing that for. 

They paused in front of a wide storefront with large posters hung in the windows. King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Tom Waits. Dan pushed the door open and a set of bells chimed against the inside handle. Addie stared hungrily at the rows upon rows of crates that filled the shop, brimming with seemingly endless stacks of records, carefully organized by genre and alphabet. 

"You collect, right?" He ventured. She had never outright said this, but he pieced it together bit by bit. Added nodded, distracted. She dove in, flipping through the stacks, searching for whatever might catch her eye. Dan watched, amused with her vigor and proud of himself. 

"I think you might be my new favorite person."

Dan chuckled in response. Joking or not, he knew he felt the same. He had always considered himself knowledgeable when it came to music, but as he followed Addie through the store, he wondered silently if he had been bested. With great enthusiasm she would pull a record from a crate and delve into small stories, brief histories: all the little details that made each album irreplaceable. She would hold a record to her chest, embracing it in the way one would greet an old friend. 

He caught a glimpse of Addie in each recounted memory - the parts that were uniquely embedded in each minute detail. Occasionally Dan would pull a familiar title and reminisce in return, but he mostly watched her, listening intently. 

"I'm sorry, I feel like I'm rambling," she blushed, cradling in her arms Elvis Costello's Armed Forces, Squeeze's East Side Story, and the Cure's Head on the Door. She ran her fingers along the battered sleeve of Billy Joel's the Stranger, smiling fondly, not saying a word, as though sharing an inside joke with the album. 

He wanted to take her in his arms the way she embraced those records. He wanted to tilt her chin up and kiss her soft, rosy lips, and absorb her secrets. He lost himself in thought and was brought back from his day dream by Addie's five fingers waving in his face. 

"Oh no, I've talked you to death," she chuckled. 

"Not at all, " he smiled warmly. 

"Ok, well I'm about set. If I don't stop now, I won't be able to close my luggage." 

And with that, Dan was returned to the unfortunate reality that their time together was limited. They approached the register and Dan's mind wandered as Addie paid and the clerk gingerly bagged her albums and passed them back over the scratched glass counter top. 

Addie slipped her hand into Dan's cold fist and gazed up at him, concerned. They headed back to the car and she ventured to ask if something was wrong. But Dan assured her that everything was fine. He didn't want to dampen the mood by bringing up their inevitable separation. He didn't want her to know how strongly he felt after knowing her for barely a day. 

Was it possible to miss someone so much before they were gone? 

They deposited the bag in the car and proceeded to wander around the area to pass time. It was nearing noon and he hadn't thought of his next plan. As they strolled they passed a brick facade from which dangled a tarnished metal sign that read "Barcade." Out of curiosity they ventured inside. They were greeted by an open, almost industrial space. Near the entrance was a battered bar which had seen better days. The perimeter walls housed a few dozen classic arcade machines. Centipede. Joust. Space Invaders. Contra. Crystal Castles. Ms PacMan. They locked eyes and nodded in unspoken agreement. They gathered quarters from the change machine and made their rounds through the available games. 

They laughed as they played round after round. Mostly they laughed at how bad she was. "Out of practice," Addie claimed. But when they arrived at Ms PacMan, she dominated, setting the daily high score. 

"I see how it is. You just let me win everything to lull me into a false sense of security, but you're secretly an 8-bit ninja."

"Ha! I wish!" Addie exclaimed. "No, when I was in college, there was a Ms PacMan machine at the local laundromat. There wasn't much to do, and I wasn't really into the whole party scene, so I would play for hours. I figured out little glitches and patterns. Like if you get corned by Blinky, you can sometimes toggle quick back and forth to pass through. And Clyde doesn't always latch on like the other ghosts."

They managed to kill another hour and a half before they left in search of a cafe for a simple lunch. Once inside, Dan excused himself to use the restroom so he could do some quick research on his phone. He found what he needed quickly enough, and returned before she had an opportunity to grow suspicious. When he returned, she beamed up at him with bright eyes.

They ordered sandwiches and talked about their families. They talked about growing up with immigrant parents, and the strange challenges that accompanied being first generation Americans. Dan's father immigrated from Israel, and Addie's parents both from Germany. While Dan had traveled to visit his family, Addie's family never returned to Germany. Instead, distant relatives would travel to the States and guest with her parents for extended periods. Dan talked about the stress of his bar mitzvah as a youth, and Addie talked about the strange outfits thrust upon her as a child. The embarrassment of school photos where her parents would insist that heritage must be celebrated. The awkward interactions where her father would don his lederhosen, if for no other reason than to intentionally embarrass her in front of her friends. The struggle of trying to accept their parents' cultures while trying to help them assimilate to a culture they only half understood. 

Soon they had finished their meal and strolled back to Dan's little red rental car. He had one final act planned for their date. He drove towards the waterfront while Addie quietly gazed out of the window, enjoying the passing scenery. 

"Ok, favorite movie?" She broke out suddenly. 

"Easy: the Last Unicorn," Dan stated proudly. "Judge me all you want. I feel no shame."

"I can't really pass judgement. I've never seen it."

"How?"

"I don't know. I mean, I've heard of it, but when it comes to movies I have this tendency to rewatch the same handful of films over and over, and rarely branch out."

"Ok, well what's your favorite then? And don't think I'm letting you off the hook. I will sneak the Last Unicorn into your hands or die trying."

Addie giggled and thought for a moment. "Amelie."

"Never heard of it. What's it about?"

"It's about this woman who is, like, painfully shy and kind of quirky, and she goes around trying to do all of these nice things for people, secretly. And in the process she meets this guy, who is as odd as she is. And she can help inspire all of these other people and make their lives happier, but she can't get over her own shyness and doubts to help herself. It's a shit summary, but the movie is seriously amazing," Addie rambled. 

"So is it a chick flick?" Dan questioned. 

"Not really, at least not in the traditional sense," she thought aloud. 

"Hmm... Ok, I'll make you a deal. I'll watch Amelie if you watch the Last Unicorn," Dan suggested. 

"Deal," Addie nodded as Dan pulled into a garage and parked. 

They strolled along the waterfront until they reached a pier. Water lapped lazily against the wooden docks. He led her down the pier and snagged tickets for the water taxi. 

"So, this way you can cross one 'never' from your list," Dan explained. He was proud of himself for this one. It was the closest he felt he had come to giving Addie the romantic experience he had planned. Excitement lit up Addie's face, leaving him all the more satisfied. 

When they boarded the boat, Addie cautiously watched her footing, having never experienced the gentle rocking against the sea as it distorted her sense of balance. The boat was barely a quarter full of passengers when they left the dock. Addie sat on the outermost seat, gazing with wonder at the sea as the boat chopped across the gentle tides. The salty mist rose in the tide, settling into her skin. She leaned her head onto Dan's shoulder and their fingers intertwined. They stayed like that for a while, not saying anything. They were in a comfortable silence, enjoying the moment. 

Addie wanted to tell him how wonderful and thoughtful he was, how she couldn't have dreamed of a more perfect date, and how glad she was to have met him. But Dan understood her feelings without uttering a word. He knew because he felt the same. He was glad to be be her first date, to take her on a simple journey around Seattle. He was happy to have met her, to have chosen that karaoke bar, and to have chanced to share a cab with a stranger: the small decisions made along the way that could have only by chance brought them together. He thanked fate, while also bemoaning it, for it would inevitably drag them apart. 

They stayed on board the water taxi, jetting around the harbor as passengers came and went. Within an hour and half they had concluded the full course, and the sky had begun to darken. They bid the sea farewell as they returned to their home dock and regained their balance on solid land. 

Returning for the final time to the car, Addie tried to process all of her thoughts and emotions. Was this love, or just a fluke? Did she even really know what love was? Was she too quick with her feelings now, suddenly, after having written off love as a truly palpable thing for far too long. Was it even worth analyzing, when their days were clearly numbered? She supposed not. She would simply live in the moment and try not to fear the consequences. 

"You're quiet," Dan noted as they drove past a row of shops, lights growing prominent against the gloomy skyline. 

"Sorry," Addie apologized, her voice soft. " I was stuck in my own head." She twiddled her thumbs nervously, fumbling with the hem of her jacket. She glanced at Dan as he drove, admiring the short layer of stubble that graced his sharp jawline. She wanted to glide her fingers through his curly mop of hair. He stirred something primal in her. 

They pulled into the hotel garage just as the sky let loose. 

"Jeez, do you always bring girls back to a hotel on the first date?" Addie jested, grinning. 

"Nope, just you," Dan replied in earnest. 

"I'm cool with that," she shrugged. They both sat there, uncertain how to progress. "I...had a really great time today." She met his gaze shyly. 

"I'm glad," he grinned. He took her hand in his, gently stroking the back with his thumb. Twisting uncomfortably over the arm rest, Dan leaned in and caressed her cheek briefly before their lips met. They began slow and steady, and progressed into a heated passion. Addie parted her lips slightly, allowing his tongue to tango with her own. She moaned into his mouth as he dared to cup her breast. His hand slid under her shirt and he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, eliciting soft groans of pleasure. She could feel the heat building between her legs, aching with need. She nipped at his bottom lip and gripped his thigh. His hot breath rolled down her neck as he trailed his teeth from her earlobe to collarbone. She shuddered and arched her back, pressing her chest into him. She tried to angle for a better position, but the stock GPS jutted awkwardly into her side and held them apart. 

Addie pulled away reluctantly. "Walk me to my room?" She breathed. 

Dan nodded and unfolded himself from the tiny vehicle. He grabbed the records from the back seat and swiped his anxious palms over his jeans. Addie bit her bottom lip nervously. Dan led her through the garage to the lobby. They waited impatiently for the elevator to arrive, and when they finally entered the lift, sexual tension filled the box. It seemed to take hours to climb the tall building. At last the tiny red lights above the exit listed twelve and they took long strides onto the landing. 

"Well, this is me..." Addie drawled, leaning against the door frame of her room as though Dan had never been there. "Would you like to come in for some coffee?"

"You know, for a girl who's never been on a date before, you really know your cliches." 

"Thanks, I've been planning that one all day," she offered a coy smile. 

"All day, huh" Dan repeated, his voice growing husky. 

"Mhm..." Addie admitted, gazing up through her lashes with pursed lips. 

"I'd love a cup of shitty hotel coffee," he grinned, and followed Addie through the doorway. 


	4. Don't Stop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised smut, and now I deliver. More to come. 
> 
> Pun intended. 
> 
> Sorry.

Dan grinned and followed Addie through the doorway. As she had done the day before, she removed her shoes beside the dresser and draped her olive green jacket over the back of the desk chair. Dan followed suit. The room was mostly dark, with the faint light of the dim, stormy sky peeking through the curtains and illuminating the walls with their cold glow. Heavy patters of rain battered the window. 

Dan sat on the end of the bed and pulled Addie onto his lap. They resumed where they had left off in the car. Addie lightly tugged at his curly tresses and he sucked at her lips. His fingers gripped the hem of her shirt. "If I'm going too fast and you want me to stop, I understand," Dan breathed into her neck. 

"I don't want you to stop." 

Dan lifted off her shirt and ran his hand across her smooth, pale skin. While one hand wrapped around her waist, holding her upright on his lap, the other hand rose to her chest, massaging over her sheer, black lace bra. He could feel her nipple harden through the thin fabric and focused his motions. 

Addie moaned into his collar and lightly nipped at his neck. She smoothed a hand up and down his thigh, slowly inching closer to his core. She could feel him begin to stiffen and shifted on his lap to straddle his hips. She reached behind to unclasp her bra. The cool light cast a milky glow upon her exposed skin and he sat back, admiring her body. She could feel his erection pressing against her inner thigh. 

She ground her hips into his lap as his teeth grazed her dusky pink nipples and he sucked at her breasts. She tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. They held each other, chest to chest, sharing each other's warmth and racing heartbeats. 

Dan reclined on the mattress, scooting back, and Addie followed. Their lips rejoined and his hands gripped her ass, working closer and closer to her core. He could feel the growing heat between her thighs through the fabric of her jeans, reaffirming how desperately she wanted him. He moved to unbutton her jeans, somehow still anticipating a rejection that would never be made. He worked a hand inside, awkwardly. With his middle finger he drew a line through her opening to her clit, distributing her wetness as he gently massaged the tight ball of nerves. She ground her hips harder against him in response, eliciting a soft groan of pleasure. 

She wanted him desperately, in a way in which she had never desired any other man. Impatiently, she unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down his hips along with his boxers, freeing his hard cock. She licked her hand as subtly as possible before fondling his member, rotating her grip as she slowly pumped. Over and over she caressed his length and smoothed her thumb over the glistening pre-cum beginning to pool at his swollen head.  

"Fuck..." Dan hissed through his teeth. He carefully shifted Addie off his waist and onto the bed, pushing down her jeans, which she kicked off the rest of the way. As she continued to stroke, he dipped his finger into her, free of restraint. She dripped with excitement, encouraging him to continue, adding another digit and flexing his fingers in a beckoning motion. She could feel the pressure building in her abdomen, drawing her close to the edge and adding intensity to her desire. 

"Do you have a condom?" Addie breathed into Dan's neck, stifling another moan. He nodded and reached for his wallet in his back pocket. He kicked off his remaining clothes and tore the foil packet open with his teeth while Addie slid off her cotton panties. 

Dan hovered over her, positioning himself at her slick entrance. Addie tilted her hips to meet his as he pushed inside her barrier. He moved gingerly with deep, slow thrusts. She wrapped her legs around his waist, moving with him at each tender pump. She bit her lip, pressing her forehead against his before taking his lips once more. Their breaths quickened, light bursts of hot air barely audible over the pounding rain. 

Dan shifted onto his knees to sit upright, reclining slightly, and pulled Addie with him on his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs continued to tangle like vines around his hips as his shaft plunged into her inviting depth. His hands supported her, gripping her supple bottom while she mewled softly into his neck. She savored the slow, sensual movements of their loins, feeling each silky sensation with drawn, heightened awareness. Color rose in her chest and cheeks. He could feel her clench against his throbbing member and quiver as she found release with a throaty whimper. It pushed him to his limit and he came with one final thrust. 

They held each other, panting, their bodies coated in a thin veil of perspiration. Forehead to forehead, nose to nose, Dan stole one last kiss before laying Addie back on the bed. She untangled her legs, freeing him to dispose of the condom. She laid there, catching her breath, face flushed, trying to come to grips with what had just happened. 

Addie had been fucked before. She had been rapidly pumped into, never really reaching climax, by men who were far more concerned with their own stakes in their little game. What she just experienced was entirely different. It was slow and sensual and budding with emotion, and she realized that they had made love. 

Dan returned and laid back down beside Addie on the disheveled comforter. He held her, playing the big spoon. Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed with emotion. She tried to fight back tears brimming on her lashes, but let loose in a constrained sob which racked her body. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dan questioned softly in his comforting voice. Had he upset her? Had he pushed her too far? Fuck, why did he always fuck things up? 

"I'm sorry, I'm just being stupid," Addie mumbled, calming herself as a few hot tears stained her cheeks. 

"No, you're not. Please tell me what's wrong?" Dan insisted, pleadingly. 

She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to seem clingy and push him away. But she couldn't ignore his questioning and chose her words carefully. 

"I just, really like you."  _No, I think I love you,_ she thought to herself. "And I just wish we didn't have to go our separate ways so soon."  _Or ever..._

"I know," Dan sighed, holding her closer. "I don't know, maybe we can find a way to make this work." He tried his best to sound optimistic, but he wasn't convinced and neither was Addie. But they could try. 

Dan began to doze, but Addie's mind wandered, keeping her awake. She tried to concoct a plan, but felt like a mad woman. She could sell her condo and move out to California - she was rarely home anyway because of work. But that seemed drastic. 

 _"Hey, I've known you for, like, a day, but I love you and I'm going to move across the country to be with you,"_ she imagined explaining to him.  _"That's fucking absurd."_ She chided herself for even considering it. Just give it time. Give it time. 

She huffed at herself and carefully snuck out of Dan's arms and over to the desk. If she couldn't clear her mind, she would distract herself with work. 


	5. Shut Up and Kiss Me

When Dan began to stir, he frowned, not finding Addie there beside him. He stood, slipping back into his clothes and approaching Addie at the desk. She was engrossed in her work, pouring over spreadsheets with a furrowed brow. He went to stroke her hair and she jumped in her seat, startled. She put her hand over her heart and stared at him with wide eyes. 

"Shit, you scared me," she breathed. 

"What? How?" Dan poked fun, flabbergasted. "I was literally right there. How did you not hear me?"

Addie gave him a shy smile and shrugged. She closed her laptop and stretched, exposing her middrift. 

Dan sat down on the corner of the bed, eyeing her with amusement. She was so damn cute, he thought, sitting there in nothing but panties and her t-shirt, hair in organized chaos. 

"Want to grab dinner?" He asked, looking out the window. It was dark, but the rain had stopped. 

"Sure, she nodded and stood, making her way across the room to her jeans. Dan's eyes followed her, observing her movements: the way she shifted her weight to one hip as she bent for the garment, the curve of her ass as she stepped into her pants, and the adorable hop she made as she tugged them over her hips. 

Ultimately, they ended at a pizza shop around the corner from the hotel. 

"Didn't you have plans today?" She asked, surprised that he would be traveling and make time for someone he barely knew. 

He shrugged. "Sure, but I rescheduled." 

She was amazed, even though this was not a particularly uncommon thing for other people. Addie never cancelled plans. She felt devoted to any task she had agreed upon, no matter how inconvenient or unexciting. Bailing was not an option. 

"I wanted to see where things would go. My friends will be in Seattle a while. You won't."

When you bump into something good, you should hold onto it as long as possible before you have to let it go. As long as feels right.

Addie beamed up at him over her slice of pizza. He smiled back. It was infectious. 

They attempted to go their separate ways after dinner, but it didn't last long. Addie took a long shower, lost in thought. Her hands roamed her body, but she couldn't mimic Dan. Nothing made her feel that way. Resigned, she turned off the faucet and wrapped herself in a towel. She ran a comb through her hair, but didn't feel like drying it. She would deal with the curly mess in the morning. 

Walking into the bedroom in search of clean clothes, she saw her phone screen flash with a new message. Laying on the bed in her towel, she grabbed the phone from the nightstand and swiped it open. 

<<Miss you already.>>

Her fingers hesitated on the screen, worried she would seem clingy. She forced herself to hit send before she could reconsider. 

<<Well, I never did make you that coffee...>>

A few moments later, his reply came. 

<<Be up in 10?>>

<< :) >>

She couldn't help but grin. She threw on her pajamas, the same cotton shorts and tee from the previous night, and quickly half-dried her hair before pulling it back in an octopus clip. 

She heard a rap at her door and opened it enthusiastically. 

"I don't even know why I have a room at this point," Dan reflected with a shake of his head. His mop of hair settled a moment later, as if on a timed delay. 

Addie thought for a second. "Probably for when we fight and you can't stand me anymore," she joked. 

"Whoa, are we fighting already?" Dan feigned hurt. 

"Oh, just shut up and kiss me," Addie demanded with a dramatic roll of her eyes. And Dan did as she requested without hesitation. His hands lightly caressed her neck and cheeks. She ran her fingers through his curly mane, drawing him closer. Addie parted her lips to let his hot tongue explore her mouth. He pressed her lithe body up against the wall, dropping his dominant hand to her hip, running his thumb across the smooth expanse of exposed skin at her waist. She arched her back, eager for his touch. He teased at the hem of her shorts, enjoying her encouraging whimpers. 

His touch was electric and her body felt weightless in his grip. He slipped his hand beneath her waistband, prodding at her entrance with his long fingers, welcomed eagerly. She moaned into his mouth, slightly biting his bottom lip as he slid inside her with ease. She pulled back for air and he dropped to his knees, pushing down her shorts and panties as he trailed his lips across her hip bones and down to her tight bundle of nerves. 

Addie turned a new shade of red. This sensation was foreign and personal, something she had never experienced before. She felt shy and empowered at once as he ran his tongue across her sensitive nub, gently sucking as his fingers drew her to a sweet release. She clutched her chest, breath ragged and face flushed. The flat of his tongue pushed her to her limits, made her weak in the knees. She placed a hand on his shoulder, overwhelmed with the sensation. She could take no more. He stood and she kissed him with great fervor, tasting her own arousal on his lips. She kicked her garments from around her ankles and followed Dan's pull to the mattress. 

With determination she unfastened his jeans and released his erect manhood. Sitting on the edge of the bed as he towered over her, she took him in her small hand, and then her mouth. As her soft, rosy lips encircled his shaft, her grip was always just ahead, stroking as she sucked and teased his head. Her tongue traveled the length of his shaft and she drew him in to the helm, pushing against the back of her throat until her eyes watered and she nearly gagged. She experimented with grip and pressure, fondling him with her other hand. 

He reached into his pocket for a condom and prepared it as she once again swallowed him whole. He stepped back and vacated her mouth, slipping on the condom and searching her eyes for approval. She nodded and scooted back on the bed. He joined her and she crawled onto his lap as he reclined. Reaching between her thighs, she guided him inside her. She rocked back and forth, grinding against him as he filled her depths. 

Dan reached up, pulling her shirt over her head and then removing his own. He wanted to feel her pressed against him without the slightest barrier. She leaned into him as she rode. He took her breasts in his hands, gently sucking each nipple in turn, grazing with his teeth. She grabbed a fistful of curls and held him closer to her as she elicited a soft moan of pleasure. She could feel the pressure building in her abdomen and clenched her muscles tight around his cock. 

"Shit," he hissed, brows furrowed as he came. She rolled her hips one last time, burrowing her face into his neck as she joined him. 

They rested there a moment, not wanting to untangle, before Addie rolled off and freed him to clean up. Dan ventured to the bathroom and when he reemerged, he turned off the lights remaining around the room. Without a word he crawled in bed beside her, kissed her tired, swollen lips, and held her close. Addie snuggled into his chest and they both drifted off. Sleep came quickly. 

 


	6. A Walk in the Woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, one last chapter before I go MIA for a few days.  
> I feel like this is mostly filler, but I mean, so is life?

When morning arrived, Dan was the first to stir. He looked at his phone on the nightstand with bleary eyes. There was a slew of messages from the reality he had ignored the previous day, and his battery was nearly drained. Sighing, he got out of bed, careful not to disturb Addie. He paced the room, looking for a charger in plain sight, but realized they needed different connections. He observed Addie as she slept peacefully. He considered waking her to say goodbye, but opted to leave a brief note instead. 

<< Sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I didn't want to wake you. Heading back to my room to take care of stuff. Text me later if you're free. :) XO Danny >>

He quietly exited the room and traveled to his own. It felt weird, like a placeholder for his things. To be fair, Addie's room was no different, but somehow being around her made everything feel less temporary. She made things feel like home. 

Dan sighed as he sat on the edge of the crisply made bed and plugged in his phone. He felt at once overwhelmed and energized. Like, life was great, and he met this amazing person who he could totally see himself with, not just as some weekend fling, but for real, long term. But the strange fleeting interaction made him feel like he would have to spend his whole life juggling to make things work. He had so much going on in his life at the moment: touring, recording, grumps, filming, and then still trying to find time for family and friends in between. His day-to-day already felt unstable, like working three jobs. Would it be selfish to try to fit a relationship into the mix too, to give this woman the false hope that he could give her the attention she deserved? He felt like he was letting her down before he even tried. 

He began to check the seemingly endless string of texts that had awaited him. He had pushed off plans from the day before so he could spend time with Addie instead, and he knew that he needed to see his friends again before he left the next day. He sent messages out, making arrangements before setting off for the shower. 

He could smell her on his skin, faintly but undoubtedly there, mingling with the scent of his own perspiration from the night before. He was slightly disappointed to wash it away, like he was discarding fond memories that might never return. 

\--

Two stories above, Addie rubbed sleep from her eyes. Rolling in bed, she frowned at the realization that she was alone. The room felt empty without him. Just another bleak space. Dan brought life to the drab walls and bland furnishings. She found his note waiting for her on the desk and felt relieved. She was determined to stick to her plans today, no matter how loosely defined they were. This was the first time that her job had brought her to Seattle, and she decided early on that she would take a trip to Mount Rainier. She took a brief shower and readied quickly, hoping she might still beat some of the crowds. She grabbed jeans, sneakers, a loose t-shirt and jacket. 

On her drive out of the city, she stopped to grab water, snacks, and a quick breakfast. She only planned a brief hike through Paradise and didn't expect to need much else in her bag. 

By noon she was at the reflection lakes, appreciating the autumn colors that adorned the local flora. She stopped there for lunch, enjoying the serene views around her and the subtle chill in the air. Glaciers loomed overhead in the distance, a seemingly impenetrable mass both alluring and ominous in the distance. And that's when she saw him. 

His curly locks were unmistakable. Her heart leaped, excited to spy him from afar. But she stayed calm and collected. She would not approach him, she decided. She would not draw attention to herself. She would not bother him. She knew he had plans for the day, though she did not know they would bring him here. Although she knew better, she feared she would be clingy, as if spying on him, if he were to find her here. 

Besides, he was not alone. He paused along the trail to take a photo of his friends - possibly a couple by the way they interacted. Addie was sure, and quickly decided it was none of her business anyway. She picked up her belongings and carried on her way, wrapping up the rest of the quick trail before Dan and his friends could recognize her as she lagged behind. 

\--

As Dan held his phone up for a picture, he saw her. He didn't expect it, and he thought he was mad. She had been on his mind all morning. Maybe he had just imagined her there in the distance. But his photograph couldn't lie. She was there, with a half-eaten apple in hand, gazing up at the mountain peak looming above. 

He never told her he would be here, and she had never said a word about it either. He debated approaching her, but before he could give it much thought she was resuming her hike, and he was too far behind to catch up without abandoning his friends. 

But it made him wonder if maybe he was wrong. Maybe things could work. Hell, even without planning they had managed to be at the same places at the same time on a handful of occasions over the last few days. Dan didn't like to attribute much to fate, but this seemed somewhat more than coincidental, and at the moment he pondered profound significance. 

His friends poked fun at him. Since when is Dan so quiet and introspective, they joked. And why didn't he invite this new girl along so they could have a double date? He only disclosed to them that he met a girl and took her on a date. They didn't know how strongly he felt, only that he was conflicted. And he knew for sure that if his friends knew that Addie was just ahead on the trail, they would insist on catching up to her and probably embarrass him as retribution for bailing on yesterday's plans. But above all else, he wasn't sure that he wanted to share her yet. Of what little time they had together, he wanted to separate her out, sequestered so that she was the focal point and his memories would be whole because their time was only  _their_ time, no one else's. 

\--

Later that evening, Addie sat at the desk in her lifeless hotel room. Her hair was damp from her post-hike shower and slowly drying into loose auburn waves. She was trying to focus on work, preparing for the next morning, but she couldn't concentrate. She couldn't get Dan out of her head. Maybe she should have pestered him on the trails...

She grabbed her phone from the desk beside her, where it was streaming one of her playlists. She set it down, and grabbed it, and set it down, and grabbed it. Over and over. Rinse, repeat. She wanted to text him but didn't know what to say, and wholly convinced herself that she was bothering him. She had jumped from the Jesus and Mary Chain to Lush to Catherine Wheel to Adorable, and she had accomplished nothing. She grabbed her phone again and hesitated, unplugging her headphones and tossing it on the bed in frustration. 

"Damn it, stop acting like a dork and text him already. You're a grown ass adult!" She lectured herself. And then the screen flashed with a new message. And like a grown ass adult she dove onto the bed, frantically unlocking the screen to read her text. 

<<Hey! Missed you today. Want to meet for drinks downstairs?>>

Addie's face lit up, shoving her doubts aside. She enthusiastically responded and rushed to get ready, downstairs in a matter of minutes. 

"Hey!" Addie chirped as she approached Dan at the bar. 

"Hey back!" He grinned at her, greeting her with a warm hug. "So how was your hike today?"

Her face dropped, barely perceptibly. "I don't know, how was  _your_ hike today?"

"Wait, you saw us? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Addie laughed. 

"Touche. I guess I figured my friends would embarrass me," he shrugged. "Now you."

"I just was worried I would bother you," Addie blushed, embarrassed to admit it. 

Dan gave her a stern look. "You could not possibly be a bother to me. Please don't ever think that."

"Sorry," Addie half-smiled. "Look, this is all new to me, and I just didn't want it to seem like I'm stalking you, or clingy, or whatever," she made wide, spiraling gestures with her hands. She did this when she was nervous. 

"Seriously, you've got nothing to worry about," he reassured her, giving her hand a soft squeeze. 

Dan possessed special qualities, she was beginning to realize, and one of those beyond a doubt was his ability to put her at ease. His soothing voice, the lack of judgement, the body language...everything. He made her feel more positive, think more optimistically. Addie was driven, but she was also, generally, a pessimist. Until she had evidence that things were going as intended, until she saw results, she was hesitant to get her hopes up and continued to push herself. It was part of what led her to be successful within her career, but also what caused her to write off any number of experiences which she determined would never realistically meet her expectations. Love, specifically romantic love, fell into this category. 

But here was Danny, giving her hope, easing her little anxieties, making her fall in love despite every obstacle she knew they would encounter. Damn it...

"Stuck in your head again?" He brought her back to Earth. She must have been staring off blankly. 

"Sorry," she blushed, giving him a shy smile. They drifted into a conversation about their hikes. They barely drank, she realized. She was accustomed to wanting at least a drink or two for social lubrication, but she didn't need it with him. Not tonight. Hell, barely even the night they met. It was refreshing, going into this clear-headed, whatever "this" was...

As the hours passed by them, they found themselves back in the elevator. The button lit up on a glowing yellow "10." Addie followed him down the hall to his door. Unceremoniously, Dan swiped his key card and invited her in for the night. His room was much the same as her own, but on the opposite side of the building. The room looked barely lived in. There were clothes strewn about over the suitcase and dresser top, but otherwise it was sterile. She wished they could have met under other circumstances, rather than a generic hotel. She pondered again what his own space would really look like. Would it feel warm and inviting like him? She bet it would be. She wondered if she'd ever get to see it...

Dan sifted through his luggage and handed her a clean t-shirt. She quickly changed out of her day clothes into his loose black Rush shirt and her panties, not bothering with discretion. At this point he had known her body more intimately than any other, and this felt natural. Dan cast aside his jeans and together they crawled into bed. 

Addie double checked her phone alarm for the morning and then curled up against Dan's lanky body. She couldn't remember a time she had slept so soundly. 


	7. Patience

The room was dark when Addie was awoken by her alarm quietly shifting to Camera Obscura's "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken." She frowned, not wanting to leave Dan's side. But she had to ground herself in reality. She needed to go to work. Dan was lightly roused by the alarm, but not quite lucid. Addie nudged him gently. 

"Hey, I have to head out."

He rolled over and placed a sleepy kiss on her forehead. Eyes closed and barely audible he mumbled, "Okay, baby. Have a good day at work."

"I'll try," she promised. 

"Good. Love you." He hushed again, out like a light. 

"Love you too," she smiled sweetly, even though Dan was fast asleep. She slid into her jeans and grabbed the rest of her garments before heading up to her room. She was thankful not to encounter another soul as she approached her door, aware of her disheveled appearance and armful of clothing. She trudged up the hall, rummaging through her purse for the room key, and unceremoniously shoved it into the reader. Green lights blink three times and the lock clicks. She pushed through and fumbled for the light switch. 

Empty. Sterile. The AC unit buzzes in the background, dragging a stale smell throughout the room. Addie frowns and sets her pile of clothes on the bed. She feels the energy melt away from her body. She heaves a lonely sigh and heads for the shower. 

She starts the water, waiting for it to heat up, and observes herself in the full mirror above the long sink counter. She still has his shirt. She hesitates to lift it over her head, as if parting ways with a precious gift. It smelled like him in a way that made her feel at home. The mirror began to fog over, so she stepped into the steamy shower. She made it quick and went through the mindless motions of her daily routine in a daze. 

Black dress pants, pale blue linen blouse, buttoned under a navy cardigan. Hair in uniform waves, tucked neatly behind one ear. Thin, leather-banded watch, black leather flats. Patent leather laptop bag, draped over her shoulder. Business casual, ready to take on the day. She stopped at a coffee shop around the corner from the hotel for breakfast and caffeine on the go, then set off across town in her small, silver rental car. 

This was it: the daily grind. Hotel, coffee, work in a conference room with a dozen or so strangers for nine hours. Every week or so the city would change, but the routine was always the same. 

But today was different. For the first time, she felt like she was leaving something behind. A strange feeling crept over her during her commute. Maybe it was the nonchalant affection from that morning. The way he sleepily muttered that he loved her, and how it seemed so natural that she hadn't even been phased by it. She felt that way as well, but was hesitant to say so. They had known each other for mere days. Even if it was genuine, even if it was reciprocated, it only served to complicate their situation. Half asleep, he probably didn't mean it entirely. Best to overlook it and move on, though that was easier said than done. That mixed feeling of excitement and dread prodded into her train of thought throughout the day. 

Bullwhip effect.  _He loves me?_

S&OP.  _I'll probably never see him again..._

Inventory optimization...Exceeding upper bound... On and on while Addie struggled to keep focus. 

\---

Dan laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. He shouldn't have said anything. He was just barely cognizant, but now she knew, and now he knew...well, sort of. And then he pretended to fall asleep, to hide what he assumed would be inevitable shame. And then he was stuck staring at the ceiling, uncertain of what he could or should or would possibly do. Why couldn't it just be easy? Some girl a few miles away that he could keep a normal, steady relationship with, and go about things at a normal pace, like normal people. Fuck everything. Just...fuck. 

He rubbed at his temple in frustration. And then he thought of her in nothing but her panties and his t-shirt. He considered making her keep it if he could keep that image in mind: the unrestrained swell of her breasts draped in the loose black cotton...the curve of her ass as she bent to grab her jeans. He sighed and took a cold shower. 

He tried to go about his last day of vacation as normal. He updated on Twitter and Instagram, checked in with Brian and Arin, both of whom insisted he forget about work and try to enjoy his last day off. He made lunch plans with friends across the city and spent some time wandering. None of it served to clear his head or provide some profound insight to his problem. He tried to work on new lyrics, but couldn't focus. It was all either too serious or cheesy. He crumpled his notes as soon as he finished them. 

\---

It was late in the evening when Addie finally returned to the hotel. Even after a long day of work, she had to endure the standard client dinner and drinks, which normally didn't phase her. But she didn't normally have handsome, wild-haired musicians to look forward to either. 

She texted Dan when she was back in her room and he was there in no time. He tried to think of something clever to say as he waited at the door, but when she turned the knob to greet him, his mind went blank. An awkward "Hey...ay" slipped out of his mouth and he mentally face-palmed. 

Addie stood in the door frame in her cotton shorts and Dan's t-shirt, looking relaxed if not a hair tired. Wordlessly, she stood on tip-toes to take his lips in a sweet kiss. He followed her into the room, ridding himself of his sneakers and jacket, and collapsing on the bed beside her. She drew him in, arms wrapping around his torso, hands gripping his back. 

Between gentle kisses they discussed the day, tiredly recounting mundane events. 

"Vacation is weird for me..." Dan sighed. "Like, I can work myself to the point of exhaustion day after day and think 'man, I need a vacation,' and there's never enough time. But then I finally hit that breaking point and I take a vacation, and I don't know what to do. I spend most of the time thinking of all the other shit I should be doing, and it's just, like, I can't relax..." He released an exasperated grumble and Addie held him a little bit tighter. 

"I feel that way when I get home, sometimes," Addie related. "I get so used to running around constantly for work. And like, I should be happy to be home, right? But it never really feels like home. It's just this place where I keep my things and I get to visit them sometimes, but by the time I make it there, I'm too exhausted to want to do anything. I just crash... In truth, I've gotten so used to this on-the-go lifestyle that I don't know what to do with myself when I actually get to stay put."

"So basically, the worst thing we could possibly do is meet up for a stay-cation at your place?" Dan suggested. 

"Oh geeze, we'd just be wandering around the place aimlessly, flailing, like 'ermagerd, I don't know what to do' until one of us grumbles ourselves to death."

Dan chuckled. "Nah, I think I'd know what to do if I made it that far." His chest puffed a little with projected confidence, and a determined grin spread across his cheeks. 

"Oh yeah? What would you do?" Addie asked coyly with a raised brow.

"Obviously, I'd put on some sweet records and woo my lady."

"Oh, and how would you do that?"

"It's no fun if I tell you. Kind of ruins the anticipation."

"Tease," she pouted, pulling away in mock-offense. 

"Nooo, come back..."

"Nope."

"Come on..."

"Nuh-uh." She rolled to her other side, back to him. 

Dan wrapped his arms around Addie's waist and pulled her into his body. He caressed her neck, trailing his lips to her shoulder until they were interrupted by the fabric of her, his, shirt. 

Addie wanted to play mad, but couldn't resist grinding her ass against his groin, squirming suggestively in his arms. A satisfied groan vibrated in his throat and he reached around to cup her breast. She pressed harder against him. 

"If I had you in my own bed, I'd make you feel like a princess," Dan promised. In his mind he ran through all of the ways he would make it special. Countless candles, rose petals, soft sensual music. Maybe he'd get silk sheets.  _Is that too cheesy?_ He thought.  _Nah, fuck it._ Silk sheets. And chocolate. He'd get Barry out of the house for the evening...

Addie believed him, if she ever found her way there. She knew he would make it memorable. Her fingers ran gently over Dan's hand as it massaged her chest. "I know," she sighed, turning in his arms and taking his lips. She smoothed her hands down his chest and the atmosphere became more tender. His hand snaked around the back of her neck, fingers slipping through auburn tresses as he deepened the kiss. He ran his tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance that was quickly granted. 

She tugged Dan's shirt over his head and he repeated her actions. They resumed, hands roaming each others' colliding bodies. 

Dan's warm hand rested in the small of her waist, his thumb gently stroking her soft, milky skin. 

Addie nestled into his neck, sucking at the tender flesh near his collarbone and receiving a pleasant hum in response. He reached up to cup her chin, tilting her head up so he could take her lips once more. 

She reached down for his belt buckle and he stopped her. "Patience..." he smiled into their kiss. He was already erect and could tell she was ready as well - her rapid heartbeat causing a subtle bounce in her breasts as she laid on her back, the flush across her cheeks, the squirming of her hips as her arousal built. But he knew he may never have this again, and he wanted to savor it. He let his hands slowly roam her body, creating a trail of goosebumps below his large palms. 

His fingers crawled over her breast, tracing the underside and around the outside, avoiding the already tightly peaked nipple. She willed him to brush his fingers over the sensitive pink flesh, growing more and more flustered with each caress. He let his hand glide lower, across her stomach, and stopped just above the waistband of her shorts. 

Addie bit his bottom lip as they continued to make out. His teasing was driving her mad with want, craving release. She dragged her nails down his back, sending a shiver up his spine. He pressed into her, his bulge brushing against her hip. She wanted to take him in her grip. but he held back. With a soft whimper she begged, "Please..."

He conceded, pushing down her shorts. He trailed his lips down her chest and stomach, resting at her hip bones. His index finger traced the center seam of her panties, already damp with excitement. Her muscles clenched at the teasing sensation. She wanted him so badly, her body aching for his touch.

He carefully spread her legs, stroking her inner thighs, stopping always as he reached the hem of her panties to lightly trace the sensitive skin at the crease of her leg. His lips followed every step of the way. As Addie's pleas grew more and more desperate, he slid off her panties. With feather-light touches he caressed her outer lips. Her body quivered, and as she felt she could take no more of his teasing, the distinct sensation of his tongue lapped against her folds. 

Dan ran his tongue along her slit, probing at her slick entrance. He pushed her legs further apart still. Gazing down, all she could see was his thick mane of curls disappearing between her thighs. He slipped a digit inside her as he continued to peruse her sex, the sweet scent of her arousal egging him on. He buried his nose in her mound, lapping and sucking at her lips as his tongue and finger probed her core. Her juices coated his chin, glistening in his stubble. He focused his attention on her clit, sucking on the tight ball of nerves and grazing with the flat of his tongue. He pressed another digit inside her, curling it towards him. 

Addie's fists gripped the sheets, knuckles white. Her soft moans grew louder and devolved to throaty whimpers as his tongue and fingers tuned her body to a new frequency. Her hips bucked with his movements and he used his free hand to steady her, pressing firmly on her lower belly. She tightened around him and he pumped into her hard and fast. 

Pressure built in her abdomen, intensified by the firm pressure of his hands. She could feel the climax building in her body, with another deeper sensation which felt at once foreign and familiar. Her breathing quickened, back arched, and hips bucked furiously as she came in gushing waves that dripped from Dan's chin and wrist, and soaked the surrounding sheets. 

He grinned into Addie's thighs as she regained her breath. Her hand rushed to her red cheeks, embarrassed. Dan's fingers slowed their rhythm as he licked her clean. He pulled his hand away and pressed his fingers to her lips. She sucked them into her mouth, wrapping her tongue around and between them. 

Addie sat up in bed, pressing her lips to Dan's in a rough kiss. He didn't protest this time as she hastily fumbled with his belt and pushed his jeans and boxers down in one swift motion. He shimmied the rest of the way out of his pants and crawled further up the bed to meet her. She took him in her hand and stroked his shaft before decidedly wiggling out from beneath him. She crawled down to his side so her head was level with his hips. 

She ran her lips along his shaft, kissing him gently, then ran her tongue from base to head. She licked around the protrusion of his swollen tip before closing her lips around in a tight circle. She gripped him and proceeded her journey up and down his length, fist ahead of mouth. As she approached his base, she smoothed her hand over his groin and carried her lips down until he pressed against the back of her throat. She tightened the muscles in her throat against him, squeezing against his solid girth.

She swirled her tongue around his cock as she went, sucking harder against his head and eliciting a groan of pleasure. Cautiously, she used her free hand to cup his tight sack, pressing the butt of her palm against his taint with firm pressure. 

"Fuck...yes..." he hissed through his teeth. She could tell he was close to his peak and slowed. She backed off the pressure and eased him in and out of her mouth with gentle swirls of her tongue until his breathing calmed, and then resumed encapsulating him in her throat. She continued to massage his taint as he probed her mouth. She built up and slowed down over and over, punishing him for teasing her earlier. 

Dan couldn't stand it any longer and pulled away. He dragged up her to his level and hovered over her, thrusting into her throbbing core without warning. Addie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with her swollen lips. She could still taste herself on him, as though she had marked him as her own. He pushed her thighs up and over his shoulders, pumping into her tight entrance. 

Folded over, she sneaked quick, passionate kisses between his deep thrusts. He sank into her completely, rebuilding the pressure in her abdomen. She cried out his name in pleasure as he pushed her to another climax, clenching around his shaft. He gritted his teeth and quickly pulled away, spilling his seed in hot bursts across her stomach. 

Dan rolled onto the bed beside her. They lay there, glossy-eyed, staring at the ceiling, panting heavily. He reached over and held her hand, entwining their fingers. A few minutes passed before Addie resigned herself to clean up, with Dan deciding he wouldn't mind joining her under cold water. 

 

 


	8. Bag of Dicks

With wobbly legs, Addie trudged to the bathroom, placing a hand below her belly to protect the splatter across her stomach from dripping on the green berber carpet. The rosy shadows of post-coital flush danced across her pallid frame, glowing. Waiting patiently on the cold cream tile, she adjusted the faucet to a lukewarm, almost cool stream, giving it a moment to reach temp before stepping into the shower. The cool water felt refreshing against her flushed skin, washing away the perspiration and sticky juices hovering on her surface.

Dan joined her a moment later, pulling back the beige curtain and stepping in behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist as his chest met her back. The shower head sprayed him in light patters, dripping down his long limbs.

The coarse hair over Dan's chest rubbed over Addie's wet shoulder blades with a pleasant scratch. He buried his face in her neck. One hand trailed up to cup her right breast, while the other traveled to her lower lips. She was still slick with excitement. He drew a line from her opening up her slit, distributing her juices as he massaged her clit.

She sucked in her breath, still a bit sensitive from their last bout. He dipped lower, probing her entrance, slowly inserting two digits into her dripping core. He bit at her neck and then her earlobe. She could feel him growing hard against her ass and began to grind into him. She lifted a leg onto the ledge of the tub to grant him better access.

One hand supported her against the cold tile wall, while the other wrapped over her shoulder to gently tug at Dan's damp tresses. The slow prodding of his fingers drew a low moan from her lips. His hard cock slid along her supple ass cheeks before he bent her over. Her arms supported her against the front of the shower as he spread her cheeks and glided with ease into her depth. With one hand he held a firm grip on her hip, while the other continued to rub gentle circles over her stiff cherry.

Water ricocheted from their bodies as they collided under the steady stream. His thrusts pounded into her, bringing her rapidly to the brink of orgasm. She cried out for him as she clenched against his stiff cock. He continued to pound into her like a battering ram against her g-spot, eliciting a series of whimpered expletives as she came in multiple waves. He grunted at the sensation of her tight pussy squeezing around his cock and quickly pulled out, shooting hot bursts of cum over the small of her back.

Dan maintained his firm hold on her hips, towering over her as droplets of frigid water dripped off the slopes of their noses. After a moment of daze, he squirted a handful of body wash into his palm and helped clean Addie's back, running his hands over her arms and chest, and back cautiously to her tender sex. She turned to return the favor, lathering his long limbs before they rinsed off and exited the now freezing shower.

They toweled off and Addie carefully combed through her tangled tresses. Quietly they returned to bed, quickly falling asleep in the buff.

It was their last night together. Bizarre but barely notable dreams held Dan back from restful sleep. He held Addie close, savoring the warmth of her sleeping form as it tangled with his own. He watched her chest rise and fall with each placid, measured breath. He flipped his pillow, damp from his hair, and observed her locks gradually drying into kinky waves and inconsistent curls. The pale moonlight cast a pallid glow across her creamy complexion.

Dan memorized every curve of her body, every subtle dip of her smooth flesh as his eyes traced her neck, collarbone, shoulders. The slope of her nose, the pout of her lips, the long lashes that cast crawling shadows over her still-rosy cheeks.

He didn't want to forget.

He had barely slept a wink by the time Addie's alarm chimed with an organ tune he did not recognize. She swatted at her phone, willing it to be silent. He pulled her into his chest with a tight squeeze and pressed his lips into her shoulder.

"Babe, come on. Get up," he encouraged. He was counting down the hours now, anxious to leave.

Addie gripped his forearms as they wrapped around her bare chest. "No, you're too comfy," she sighed, but finally caved.

The cool air hit her exposed body as she crawled out from her warm cocoon. She bent to grab her clothes from the floor as she readied herself. She eyed her wild hair in the mirror with disdain, blowing a stray curl from her face while Dan chuckled at her expression.

She heated up her flat iron as she brushed her teeth. She frowned, still dissatisfied with her hair even after straightening it. She moved on to makeup and picking out an outfit. She settled on straight-legged, black dress pants, well pressed, a billowy peach and white blouse, with a tailored cobalt blazer with three-quarter length sleeves. She pulled her hair up into a simple twist and clipped it back.

Dan tugged on his clothes from the previous night, feeling a tad under dressed as they made their descent through the elevator and out of the lobby.

They wandered down the block to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast. They didn't say much as they waited for their caffeine and pastries. They sat at a small, round table, Dan gingerly caressing the back of Addie's hand with his thumb. Neither one of them was ready to deal with the thrum of people that surrounded them. They wanted to spend their precious last minutes in solitude. The words that needed said were not meant for idle ears. The thought of speaking them here felt cheap, less meaningful.

They spoke quietly about Dan's flight, when he would leave, and his plans when he arrives back in California.

He asked when Addie would be home, what city she would visit next. What were the chances that work might bring her to LA? She shrugged with a frown, uncertain.

They finished their breakfast and headed to the hotel garage hand in hand. They found Addie's rental and deposited her laptop bag in the back seat. Addie paused at the bumper, struggling to meet Dan's gaze. Her mouth felt too dry. She wasn't ready to say goodbye.

It was just them now. She fumbled over her thoughts and words. "Do you have everything you need for your fli--"

"Addie, I love you," he cut off her awkward rambling. "I don't know what to do about it, but I love you. And I don't want to leave this place, leave you not knowing how I feel."

Addie was at a loss for words, eyes stinging with the threat of tears.

"I know this is tough, but I want to try. I want to try to make this work." She stayed quiet, not meeting his eyes. Dan grew nervous, hands clammy, waiting for response. "Please say something," he begged.

Finally she tilted her head to face him, lashes brimming with tears. Voice coarse, throat sore, she struggled out, "I love you too." She sniffled, "Fuck, why does this have to be so hard?"

"Life is a bag of dicks sometimes," he frowned.

A strange combination of sob and chuckle choked out of Addie and she relinquished into a bittersweet smile. "It really is."

He pulled her into a warm embrace, pressing his lips to her forehead. "We'll make this work, okay?" He comforted her, rubbing her back. She nodded into his chest. "But you're going to be late if we stay here any longer," he lamented.

Addie pulled away begrudgingly with a halfhearted smile. "Let me know when you've landed safely," she requested. He nodded and took her lips in one last sweet embrace before forcing himself to pull away.

"Have a good day at work!" He shouted from across the lot as he slow jogged away. She nodded.

"Hey Dan," she hollered back. "I love you!"

He grinned from ear to ear before rounding the corner. "I love you too!" Echoed back quietly after he had disappeared from sight.

As Addie went about her day, she knew she had gotten exactly what she wanted all this time. Her chest ached, a feeling like suffocating clawing heavily at her throat. She had fallen so hard and so quickly that pulling away felt like marching off to war, uncertain she would ever make it back. Make it home.

She understood that her house was never her home. Home was not a place, it was a fluffy haired stranger across the country this whole time. And love was never about the grand romantic gestures. It was finding the person that felt like home.

But as excited as she was by their discourse, an old line of poetry flooded her mind, the adage filling her with uncertainty. _Nothing gold can stay._


End file.
